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Music has been a pleasant factor in the life of Akron from its
very beginning. Except for the little lullabies heard in the log
cabins of the pioneers the first music came from the Irish canal
diggers as they put away their picks and shovels and sang the
songs of old Ireland.
The village brass band came next and the old-time fiddlers and
banjo players as they made merry at barn dances and in the
kitchens.
America's First Ladies Band?
Barberton's Ladies Band, organized in 1914,
may have been the first such organization in the United States.
Directed by Harry Houser, who was also their teacher, they
played free concerts at Lake Anna and represented their city on
trips out of town. In 1917 they marched seven miles through
Columbus in the inaugural parade for Gov. James M. Cox.
- Oldest of Akron's yet active musical organizations is the
Liedertafel. The Liedertafel was started by 13 German-born
citizens. This now great organization has given to Akron a
musical culture that has received national recognition.
- The Tuesday Musical Club, organized in 1887, has helped greatly
in the development of music here.
- Perhaps the greatest of our local singers was the late H. Evan
Williams who ranked among the world's leading tenors.
- A musical organization that will long be remembered was the
famous Eighth Regiment Band, "The President's Own," directed by
W. R. Palmer.
- The Great Western Band, compiled of 25 men, for many
years was a proficient and popular organization. It was
consolidated with the Eighth Regiment Band in September 1891
with George L. Humphrey as band master and William R. Palmer
as his assistant, thus proving one of the strongest musical
bodies in Ohio or elsewhere.
Music Hall
Dedicated on September 15, 1904
with a concert by Victor Herbert and orchestra. Constructed
mainly for the Akron Male Chorus and the Tuesday Musical club.
Academy of Music
This building was the most
pretentious theatre of its time. It was a brick and stone
structure with artistic cornice supported by elaborate carvings.
It was opened with great fanfare on Monday, June 12, 1871. It
was greatly damaged by fire on Sunday morning, July 18, 1897.
Later rebuilt into an office building and it is still standing
on the North East corner of Main and Market Streets.
Photo Courtesy of Mr. Jenkins
Cuyahoga
Falls Band
The original Cuyahoga Falls
Band, organized in 1834, was one of the best of its class in
Northern Ohio. This band had more than the local repute, being
called to Cleveland to aid in celebrating the 4th of July, in
1835, going from and returning to Old Portage by packet boat on
the Ohio Canal. The band also participated in the celebration of
the opening of the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal, in 1840, and
about that time made an excursion to Massillon, where they gave
a concert which was largely attended and highly appreciated by
the music loving citizens of that lovely town. Mr. Bill and Mr.
Bronson retained their musical skill and ardor to the end of
their long lives as attendants upon the annual meetings of the
Portage-Summit Pioneer Association, at Kens, who have listened
so delightedly to the old-time music of the pioneer band.
In 1858, a most excellent band
organization was effected, under the leadership of Mr. Ethelbert
Sill, and was for many years known as "Sill's Band." The band,
which had continuous existence under different leaders for
nearly thirty years was reorganized in 1885, under the name of
Cuyahoga Falls Brass Band, with Mr. James Brown as the leader.
Original Band Members: Henry W.
Bill (leader), Elisha N. Sill, Charles W. Wetmore, Theodore R.
Butler, Charles Bronson, Cyrus Wilcox, Livey Wilcox, John H.
Brainard, Lyman Sperry, Rueben Upson, Horace Y. Beebe, Charles
Thornburg, Israel James
For forty years William Palmer was Akron's premier band
leader. He brought the city fame by organizing the 8th
Regiment Band, Ohio National Guard, and leading it in
nationwide concert tours. Alumni of that group joined Mr.
Palmer in the band pictured above. In this 1910 photo the band
is on East Market Street. A corner of the old Carnegie Library
is visible at the left (now the Akron Art Institute).
In September of 1891 The musical
organizations included:
-
The Turner Band, 25 men, Levi Pinn - drum
major, John Kolla - leader, Frank Voke - president, Frank Cox -
treasurer and business manager.
-
The Metropolitan Band, 10-12 men, Sidney
Mosey - Director, Andrew Fritz - Leader
-
Symphony Orchestra, 5-14 men, Charles W.
Lantz - Leader
-
Mustill's Orchestra, 5-10 men, Sydney
Mosey - Director
-
Italian Orchestra, 5-8 men, William H.
Brady - Leader, Thomas Edwards - Prompter
-
Roman Orchestra, 2-6 men, Joseph A.
Rivello - Leader
-
Great Western Band, 25 men, George
Humphrey - Band Master, William Palmer - Assistant
A band concert in the park was a
favorite pastime for many Akronites. This 1900 photo shows a crowd
gathered around the musicians in the Neptune Park. This triangle
park is located one block west of West Hill Hardware and is formed
by West North Street, Valley and West Market Streets.
Photograph Archives. Cuyahoga
Falls Library, Cuyahoga Falls, OH.
Lane, Samuel A.
Fifty Years and Over, The History of Summit County. Beacon
Job Department, 1892.
Grismer, Karl H. Akron and Summit
County. Akron, OH: Summit County Historical
Society, n.d.
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